Light arrangement for scanner-digitizer

Abstract

A video scanning arrangement for scanning and digitizing documents, and having a scanner actuable to scan a document on a tablet beneath the scanner. The scanner is attached to a horizontal arm member which is in turn attached to and movable up and down a vertical support member which in turn is attached to the tablet. Two light arms are pivotally attached to the horizontal arm member and each light arm has a light source attached to its nonpivoting end. Each light arm is normally folded against the horizontal arm member for storage when the video scanning arrangement is not in use, and the light arms are extended to move the light sources away from the arm member when the video scanning arrangement is to be used. The light sources are energized to illuminate a document on the tablet when the scanner is actuated to scan a document.

What we claim is: 
     
       1. A video scanning arrangement for scanning and digitizing documents having alphanumeric and/or other image information thereon, and comprising: a tablet on which a document to be scanned and digitized is placed,   a support member having a first end attached to said tablet,   an arm member having a first end movably attached to said support member so that said arm member can move along said support member to be at varying distances from said tablet,   a scanner attached to a second end of said arm member, said scanner being actuable to scan a document on said tablet for the creation of a digital representation of said document,   at least one light arm, with each light arm having a first end pivotally attached to said arm member, and   a light source attached to each light arm, with each light arm normally being folded against said arm member for storage when said video scanning arrangement is not in use, and each light arm being extendable from said arm member when said video scanning arrangement is in use to move said light source thereon pivotally outward to a fixed position relative to the scanner, to provide uniform illumination of said document.   
     
     
       2. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein said arm member has a hollow portion substantially at a right angle thereto, said hollow portion fitting over the top of said support member and telescoping therewith to move the scanner on the end of said arm member closer to or further away from a document to be scanned. 
     
     
       3. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein said arm member has a hollow portion substantially at a right angle thereto, said hollow portion fitting over the top of said support member and telescoping therewith to move the scanner on the end of said arm member closer to or further away from a document to be scanned, and further comprising a mechanism attached to the hollow end of said arm member and actuable to telescope said arm member from said support member so that said arm member can move along said support member to move said scanner to be at varying distances from the document. 
     
     
       4. The invention in accordance with claim 1, further including means for energizing said light source to illuminate said document upon actuation of said scanner for scanning said document and means for extinguishing said light source upon completion of said scanning. 
     
     
       5. A video scanning arrangement for scanning and digitizing documents on a mounting surface and the documents have alphanumeric and/or other image information thereon, and comprising: a support member attachable to said mounting surface,   an arm member having a first end movably attached to said support member so that said arm member can move along said support member to be at varying distances from a document on said mounting surface,   a scanner attached to a second end of said arm member, said scanner being actuable to scan a document on said mounting surface for the creation of a digital representation of said document,   at least one light arm with each light arm having two ends, with a first end of each light arm being pivotally attached to said arm member, with each said light arm normally being folded against said arm member for storage when said video scanning arrangement is not in use, and   a light source attached to the second end of each light arm, each light arm being extendable when said video scanning arrangement is in use to move said light source thereon pivotally outward to a fixed position relative to the scanner, to provide uniform illumination of said document.   
     
     
       6. A lighting and scanner arrangement for scanning and digitizing documents having alphanumeric and/or other image information thereon comprising: a tablet on which a document to be scanned and digitized is place,   a support member having a first end attached to said tablet,   an arm member having a first end movably attached to said support member so that said arm member can move along said support member to be at varying distances from said tablet,   a scanner attached to a second end of said arm member, said scanner being actuable to scan a document on said tablet for the creation of a digital representation of said document,   at least one light arm, with each light arm having a first end pivotally attached to said scanner, and   a light source attached to each light arm, with each light arm normally being folded against said arm member for storage when said video scanning arrangement is not in use, and each light arm being extendable from said arm member when said video scanning arrangement is in use to move said light source thereon pivotally outward to a fixed position relative to the scanner, to provide uniform illumination of said document.   
     
     
       7. The invention in accordance with claim 6 wherein said arm member has a hollow portion substantially at a right angle thereto, said hollow portion fitting over the top of said support member and telescoping therewith to move the scanner on the end of said arm member closer to or further away from a document to be scanned. 
     
     
       8. The invention in accordance with claim 6 wherein said arm member has a hollow portion substantially at a right angle thereto, said hollow portion fitting over the top of said support member and telescoping therewith to move the scanner on the end of said arm member closer to or further away from a document to be scanned, and further comprising a mechanism attached to the hollow end of said arm member and actuable to telescope said arm member from said support member so that said arm member can move along said support member to move said scanner to be at varying distances from the document. 
     
     
       9. The invention in accordance with claim 6, further including means for energizing said light source to illuminate said document upon actuation of said scanner for scanning said document and means for extinguishing said light source upon completion of said scanning. 
     
     
       10. A lighting and scanner arrangement for scanning and digitizing documents placed on a mounting surface, said document having alphanumeric and/or other image information thereon comprising: a support member attachable to a mounting surface,   an arm member having a first end movably attached to said support member so that said arm member can move along said support member to be at varying distances from the document on said mounting surface, a scanner attached to a second end of said arm member, said scanner being actuable to scan a document on said mounting surface for the creation of a digital representation of said document,   at least one light arm, with each light arm having two ends with a first end pivotally attached to said scanner, with each light arm normally being folded against said arm for storage when said video scanning arrangement is not in use, and   a light source attached to a second end of each light arm, each light arm being extendable when said video scanning arrangement is in use to move said light source thereon pivotally outward to a fixed position relative to the scanner, to provide uniform illumination of said document.   
     
     
       11. A video scanning arrangement for scanning and digitizing documents having alpha numeric and/or other image information thereon comprising: a scanner being actuable to scan a document for the creation of a digital representation of said document, said scanner being movable to adjust the focus of the scanner and the area of a document to be scanned,   at least one light arm, with each light arm having two ends with a first end pivotally attached to and movable with said scanner, with each said light arm normally being folded against said scanner for storage when said video scanning arrangement is not in use to thereby make a compact package, and   a light source attached to a second end of each light arm, each light arm being extendable when said video scanning arrangement is in use to move said light source thereon pivotally outward to a fixed position relative to the scanner, to provide uniform illumination of said document.   
     
     
       12. The invention in accordance with claim 11 wherein said arm member has a hollow portion substantially at a right angle thereto, said hollow portion fitting over the top of said support member and telescoping therewith to move the scanner on the end of said arm member closer to or further away from a document to be scanned. 
     
     
       13. The invention in accordance with claim 11 wherein said arm member has a hollow portion substantially at a right angle thereto, said hollow portion fitting over the top of said support member and telescoping therewith to move the scanner on the end of said arm member closer to or further away from a document to be scanned, and further comprising a mechanism attached to the hollow end of said arm member and actuable to telescope said arm member from said support member so that said arm member can move along said support member to move said scanner to be at varying distances from the document. 
     
     
       14. The invention in accordance with claim 11, further including means for energizing said light source to illuminate said document upon acuation of said scanner for scanning said document and means for extinguishing said light source upon completion of said scanning.